Before the Sweet Sixteen starts, thought I would share my conference rankings. I only included conferences with two or more teams in the Tournament or have at least one team the Sweet Sixteen.
#1 SEC - Kind of the surprise of the tournament so far. I went back and forth between the SEC and Big East for #1. I chose the SEC because they have outperformed their seeds and the only big upset loss was by Missouri to Princeton who had just beat AZ.
Record: 9-5
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 3
In: Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas
Out: Texas A&M, Missouri, Auburn, Miss St, Kentucky
Biggest Upset Win: #8 Arkansas vs. #1 Kansas
Biggest Upset Loss: #7 Missouri vs. #15 Princeton
#2 Big East - Very solid performance from a very solid conference. Creighton getting into the Sweet Sixteen made up for Marquette's loss to a very good defensive team in Michigan State. UConn looks tough.
Record: 7-2
Expected Sweet 16: 3
Actual Sweet 16: 3
In: UConn, Xavier, Creighton
Out: Providence, Marquette
Biggest Upset Win: #6 Creighton vs. #3 Baylor
Biggest Upset Loss: #2 Marquette vs. #7 Michigan State
#3 Big 12 - The Big 12 has underperformed their seeds but they are the only conference outside of the SEC and Big East with two teams in the Sweet Sixteen. This conference has won the last two championships. Texas looks like the best bet for a three-peat.
Record: 7-5
Expected Sweet 16: 4
Actual Sweet 16: 2
In: Texas, Kansas St
Out: Kansas, Iowa State, West Virginia, Baylor, TCU
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: #1 Kansas vs. #8 Arkansas
#4 ACC - Down year for the ACC. The once top basketball conference has not lived up to the expectations after they merged with the "good" teams from the Big East. Miami is the only team left? I still put them at #4 because they have a winning record in the tournament, 3 of 5 teams made the Round of 32 and they have performed a little bit better than their seeds implied.
Record: 5-4
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Miami
Out: Duke, Virginia, NC State, Pittsburgh
Biggest Upset Win: #11 Pittsburgh vs. #6 Iowa State
Biggest Upset Loss: #4 Virginia vs. #13 Furman
#5 AAC - Only loss was by Memphis by 1 point to FAU, which is in the Sweet 16. Though, this is really all about Houston. Thing of beauty when they get it rolling.
Record: 2-1
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Houston
Out: Memphis
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: #8 Memphis vs. #9 FAU
#6 Big Ten - I know some will balk at the Big Ten getting ranked over the Pac 12 but they have the same number of teams in the Sweet Sixteen and had 5 of 8 teams in the round of 32
Record: 6-7
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Michigan St
Out: Purdue, Maryland, Northwestern, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana
Biggest Upset Win: #7 Michigan State vs. #2 Marquette
Biggest Upset Loss: #1 Purdue vs. #16 Fairleigh Dickinson
#7 Pac 12 - Its up to UCLA to once again to represent the conference. After UCLA and USC move to the Big Ten, it does not look pretty.
Record: 4-3
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: UCLA
Out: Arizona, USC, ASU
Biggest Upset Win: #11 ASU v. #6 TCU
Biggest Upset Loss: #2 Arizona vs. #15 Princeton
#8 West Coast - Two good teams. Both have played to their seeds. A lot of people like this to be Gonzaga's year but don't they say that every year. Maybe. Hope not.
Record: 3-1
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Gonzaga
Out: Saint Mary's
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#9 Ivy - I kind of hate to not put them on the bottom but Princeton has put on a historic performance so far.
Record: 2-0
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Princeton
Out: N/A
Biggest Upset Win: #15 Princeston vs. #2 Arizona
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#10: Mountain West - They really have just played to their seeding and San Diego State did not have to face a top 4 seed to advance. They do look good and it would be cool to see the Aztecs keep it going against Alabama. But the Tide will likely roll them over.
Record: 2-4
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: San Diego St
Out: Utah State, Boise St, Nevada
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#11 Conference USA - Like I said earlier. I would rather put the Ivy at the bottom but FAU had a relatively easy path to the Sweet Sixteen. I do think they were probably under seeded.
Record: 2-0
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: FAU
Out: N/A
Biggest Upset Win: #9 FAU vs. #8 Memphis
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#1 SEC - Kind of the surprise of the tournament so far. I went back and forth between the SEC and Big East for #1. I chose the SEC because they have outperformed their seeds and the only big upset loss was by Missouri to Princeton who had just beat AZ.
Record: 9-5
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 3
In: Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas
Out: Texas A&M, Missouri, Auburn, Miss St, Kentucky
Biggest Upset Win: #8 Arkansas vs. #1 Kansas
Biggest Upset Loss: #7 Missouri vs. #15 Princeton
#2 Big East - Very solid performance from a very solid conference. Creighton getting into the Sweet Sixteen made up for Marquette's loss to a very good defensive team in Michigan State. UConn looks tough.
Record: 7-2
Expected Sweet 16: 3
Actual Sweet 16: 3
In: UConn, Xavier, Creighton
Out: Providence, Marquette
Biggest Upset Win: #6 Creighton vs. #3 Baylor
Biggest Upset Loss: #2 Marquette vs. #7 Michigan State
#3 Big 12 - The Big 12 has underperformed their seeds but they are the only conference outside of the SEC and Big East with two teams in the Sweet Sixteen. This conference has won the last two championships. Texas looks like the best bet for a three-peat.
Record: 7-5
Expected Sweet 16: 4
Actual Sweet 16: 2
In: Texas, Kansas St
Out: Kansas, Iowa State, West Virginia, Baylor, TCU
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: #1 Kansas vs. #8 Arkansas
#4 ACC - Down year for the ACC. The once top basketball conference has not lived up to the expectations after they merged with the "good" teams from the Big East. Miami is the only team left? I still put them at #4 because they have a winning record in the tournament, 3 of 5 teams made the Round of 32 and they have performed a little bit better than their seeds implied.
Record: 5-4
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Miami
Out: Duke, Virginia, NC State, Pittsburgh
Biggest Upset Win: #11 Pittsburgh vs. #6 Iowa State
Biggest Upset Loss: #4 Virginia vs. #13 Furman
#5 AAC - Only loss was by Memphis by 1 point to FAU, which is in the Sweet 16. Though, this is really all about Houston. Thing of beauty when they get it rolling.
Record: 2-1
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Houston
Out: Memphis
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: #8 Memphis vs. #9 FAU
#6 Big Ten - I know some will balk at the Big Ten getting ranked over the Pac 12 but they have the same number of teams in the Sweet Sixteen and had 5 of 8 teams in the round of 32
Record: 6-7
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Michigan St
Out: Purdue, Maryland, Northwestern, Penn State, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana
Biggest Upset Win: #7 Michigan State vs. #2 Marquette
Biggest Upset Loss: #1 Purdue vs. #16 Fairleigh Dickinson
#7 Pac 12 - Its up to UCLA to once again to represent the conference. After UCLA and USC move to the Big Ten, it does not look pretty.
Record: 4-3
Expected Sweet 16: 2
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: UCLA
Out: Arizona, USC, ASU
Biggest Upset Win: #11 ASU v. #6 TCU
Biggest Upset Loss: #2 Arizona vs. #15 Princeton
#8 West Coast - Two good teams. Both have played to their seeds. A lot of people like this to be Gonzaga's year but don't they say that every year. Maybe. Hope not.
Record: 3-1
Expected Sweet 16: 1
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Gonzaga
Out: Saint Mary's
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#9 Ivy - I kind of hate to not put them on the bottom but Princeton has put on a historic performance so far.
Record: 2-0
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: Princeton
Out: N/A
Biggest Upset Win: #15 Princeston vs. #2 Arizona
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#10: Mountain West - They really have just played to their seeding and San Diego State did not have to face a top 4 seed to advance. They do look good and it would be cool to see the Aztecs keep it going against Alabama. But the Tide will likely roll them over.
Record: 2-4
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: San Diego St
Out: Utah State, Boise St, Nevada
Biggest Upset Win: None
Biggest Upset Loss: None
#11 Conference USA - Like I said earlier. I would rather put the Ivy at the bottom but FAU had a relatively easy path to the Sweet Sixteen. I do think they were probably under seeded.
Record: 2-0
Expected Sweet 16: 0
Actual Sweet 16: 1
In: FAU
Out: N/A
Biggest Upset Win: #9 FAU vs. #8 Memphis
Biggest Upset Loss: None
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